Late primary application Bristol - chances?

[noexercisefan]

I'm moving from London to Bristol for a new job set to start this June or July. The only problem is that my DS is due to start reception this September. Given the lack of primary places in Bristol, what are my chances of getting him in somewhere decent via a late application? I'm looking at Bishop Road as a possible - I know it's a big school so am hoping this might make it easier than somewhere small. Has anyone applied late and got the school they wanted? Am very stressed at the thought of it all and am dreading ending up with either somewhere a bit rubbish or miles away from where we'll be living. Any advice anybody? Thank you x

PS have posted in Local but am hoping for more traffic here.

When do you move? How soon will you be able to put a new address down if you apply from your existing address now?

I can't comment specifically on schools in Bristol. In this situation you will be offered a place but, unless you choose an unpopular school, it is unlikely to be the one you want. All you can do is move as close to the school as possible and hope that a place comes up via the waiting list. The larger the school the more likely there will be movement.

Thanks yonic and prh. Will be hopefully in place by mid May but could perhaps prove a rental address by early May.

If my son started in reception, and did that year, he could potentially move for Year 1. But in a popular school, I don't see why people would move presumably too there will be others on the waiting list (some with siblings maybe already there) so unless I'm virtually living in the same street as the school my chances might be quite low. I don't see how anyone ever moves tbh.

Not a chance at Bishop Road - they get twice as many applications as places. All the schools in that area - Sefton Park, Ashley Down - are over subscribed.

There's a new academy opening on Fairfield Road that might be a possibility though?

I'd also look at May Park, Millpond, Hannah More and St Michael's on the Mount as they will probably be your nearest schools with spaces if you are in north-central Bristol. If you're further north then it would probably be Southmead schools - Badocks Wood, Foothill.

There is actually a bit of movement at Bishop Road, I know of a couple of children who left due to house moves in the last year. You might get lucky mid year or for Y1.

I know someone who applied and has been offered a Y2 place at Begbrook which is a pretty good school, they may have spaces, or Filton Avenue is a great school. Not sure of the position with spaces though.

Get on the wait list post allocations day as soon as you have proof of address. If you are close to the school, you may well be at the top of the wait list on distance - all it takes is one person(s) to go private or move before Sept and spaces free up. Big schools often have more scope for movement. If you find out the biggest distance offered eg. 0.3 miles and move closer than that then you would have more chance etc

Thanks everyone. I think I need to do more research on different schools - the ones I'm looking at are probably the prime ones that are very popular in north bristol. I don't know the city too well so I'm not familiar with the ones you mention Keturahlee, or Begbrook, MsIngaFewmarbles. I will go off and look at these. Any other suggestions welcome, thank you.

One thing - it seems better to pin your hopes on one particular school and move right next door to it than hedge your bets and be close-ish to say, 3 different ones. Does this sound right to anyone who knows? Also, if you put in a late application, do you still put down 3 choices? And lastly (sorry, so many questions) - surely most oversubscribed schools just don't have any spaces left for late applications? ie: if they're full from the on-time applications, that's it - no go?

Sigh. Am struggling. New city, new schools, don't know it very well. Solely responsible for my son. Feeling overwhelmed with it all!

I'd put down the 3 choices. I've known of people only putting down one, not allocated that one due to oversubscription and given one miles away as that had places as no alternatives were listed.

Yes, most over subscribed schools won't have any spaces after allocations day. If you want a popular school you will just have to try to move as close as possible, hopefully be near/at the top of the waiting list and wait for someone to leave.

I also know that people often use Torwood House - an independent junior school situated on the Clifton Downs, as an interim measure if they do not like the allocated school, while they await a place from the waiting list. It may be worth a look as a back up, if you may be able to afford the fees - which aren't extortionate.

Hard to say if it's better to live in top of one school etc unless you know the allocation distances and movement rates. We are not Bristol but at our large primary the distance is about 0.4 usually. However it's also an area where people move about lots. Every year for the last 5 about 10-12 have got in iff waiting lists - people move, go private, change their minds etc

Hi OP
If you can provide a rental address in early May then you may be in with a chance as the second round of allocations is due w/b 2nd June:
www.bristol.gov.uk/page/children-and-young-people/primary-admissions
They will allocate all places in the first round in April, but usually get a few back at several school to reallocate (as a few go private or move away).
Your best bet is to put 3 choices down in the order in which you'd genuinely prefer them, and rent as close as possible to your preferred school. Put realistic choices for your 2nd and 3rd choices, and check the furthest distance table (on the same webpage) for how close you'd have to live in previous years to get a place at each of them.
Best of luck!